Maura Higgins was left squirming as she was grilled over her romance with Pete Wicks

A red-faced Maura Higgins issued a six-word response as she was grilled about Pete Wicks romance rumours.

The former Love Island star, 34, appeared on Friday’s episode of Loose Women, where chat got onto her love life and the current series of Love Island: All Stars.

Asked whether she would go on All Stars herself, Maura squealed “no” before adding in a six-word response: “My dating show days are done!”

However, the Loose Women panellists were quick to ask what she meant by the comment to which Maura explained: “I don’t want to go on a dating show, I’ve turned down All Stars before and I turned down the Celebs Go Dating. I’ve done it once [Love Island] and I spent the whole time in Love Island single!”

A red-faced Maura Higgins issued a six-word response as she was grilled about Pete Wicks romance rumours(Image: ITV)

Panellist Katie Piper then grilled: “So is that you saying you’re not single?” to which a red-faced squirming Maura responded: “No, did I say that? I know what you’re doing! No, I never said anything, next question!”

Not holding back, fellow panellist Frankie Bridge then directly asked: “Is there anything going on with Pete?” to which the studio applauded and gushed that they make a lovely couple, reports Liverpool Echo.

Maura responded: “Do we? I never really thought about it. He’s got better hair than me to be fair! There’s not really much to tell, I know that’s very boring, we’ve known each other for what, six years?

“We spend time together, we get on very well, our personalities are very very similar and he’s a great person but there’s actually nothing to tell. There’s really not though, no one believes me, there’s not!”

Talking about being pictured with Pete, sparking even more romance rumours, Maura insisted that it’s just because they’re both in the public eye and some of their friends, also in attendance, weren’t pictured as they’re not in the public eye.

Pete Wicks and Maura are rumoured to be dating (Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Speculation first grew about their rumoured relationship when Pete and Maura were seen smooching during a dinner in Soho in August last year.

Maura then spent weeks in Australia for I’m A Celebrity where she slyly discussed her relationship without mentioning his name.

Then Pete’s best pal Sam Thompson cheekily “welcomed Maura to the family” when she appeared on I’m A Celebrity spin-off, Unpacked.

After she returned to the UK, they quickly reunited and were recently pictured looking loved-up right before Christmas.